Connection
by MJbookworm07
Summary: CO-AUTHORED by kindlonely -After Willow returns from England, she finally visits Tara's grave. Written for the "Seeing Double" Writing Challenge hosted by My-Mental-Mind. Disclaimer: We do not own these marvelous characters or their story.


**This story was written for the Seeing Double challenge by My-Mental-Mind. The challenge was to create a story with a partner.  
The VERY lovely *** kindlonely *** ****wrote this with me. So please, go to the profile in the link and check all the stuff! Enjoy :)**

 **Co-Author: kindlonely**

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 **Willow** **(A/N written by kindlonely)**

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Willow?" Xander asks.

I nod and walk into the cemetery. Xander stays behind, knowing very well that I need to do this alone.

I easily find her, bathed in sunlight in the middle of the luxuriant grass field. The energy surrounding this place is so pure and peaceful, the perfect resting place. I place the pebbles I've been carrying on top of the gravestone and sit. I let my fingers trace the letters engraved in the gray stone. The most beautiful name in the world, my beloved witch's name, Tara.

"Hey. It's me." I greet her, then silence falls. I swallow. "Sorry I missed your funeral, but I'm sure you understand why I wasn't h-" a lump in my throat. I turn my blurring gaze toward the lake behind me. This is harder than I thought. I take a deep breath and force my lips to curve into a smile before turning back.

"You're probably wondering why I'm giving you these rocks, right? While I lived at the Wiccan coven in England, everyday I sat under this old willow tree to meditate and feel the Earth's energy. That place really helped me heal, that's why I wanted to share a little bit of its magic with you." I sniff and wipe my cheek. "Giles taught me that everything is connected. Did you know?" I let out a chuckle. "Of course you do...and you know that a part of me was always here, even if I'm showing up a bit late." I place my hand on the grass in front of me. Yes, I felt this oil, because the earth and every living organism are all connected.

But Tara doesn't belong to the world of the living anymore so I can't feel her.

"Tara, are you here?" The words float in the air for a second, then there's only the silence again.

"Tara...Please, Tara, I need you. I've been trying to be strong, but the truth is, I don't think I'm ready to be here yet. I saw the evil coming for us in my vision, I know my powers will be needed, but still, I'm not sure I'll be able to help. Xander believes I will, but that's why I'm afraid. I don't want to let him and everyone else down again."

Always the silence, just the silence. A single, chilling gust of wind fills the sky with dark clouds and steals the sunlight.

"Tara, I'm so scared. What if I'm not strong enough to control my powers and become this dark, bad Willow again?...All the horrible things I did...Tara, I even killed a m-" I cover my mouth, but a sob still finds its way out.

I close my eyes and connect with the Earth.

In England, a fragrant breeze is joyfully dandling the willow's sweeping crown. In Mexico, a beach looks like it's boiling from the myriad of newborn sea turtles struggling in unison to reach the sea. At Sunnydale High, Buffy is doing great for her first day as a counselor. Near the river, across the park, Xander is waiting patiently for me. There's a few people visiting the cemetery, each one of them grieving in their own way, but more than sadness, the feeling they all share is love.

I open my eyes and a bright light shines from the gravestone, embracing me.

 **Tara** **(A/N written by MJbookworm07**

I am perched on top of my own tombstone when she arrives. I do this quite often, watching people as they come and go to visit loved ones lost to time. I don't fully understand why I am always here. At first, I tried to go elsewhere, not really caring where, but I was always drawn back to this spot, no matter what. Eventually, I resigned myself to my fate.

At first, I don't see her, I'm too busy watching a young couple placing flowers on a grave four rows over as their children run along the tombstones.

It's her greeting that catches my attention-soft, hesitant. So very unlike the Willow I have come to know, but so like her at the same time.

I watch her from my perch as she stares at the inscription on my grave: Tara Maclay. I can still hardly believe, despite how long it has been, that it reads my name.

"Sorry I missed your funeral," she begins quietly before going into a rushed explanation of why she was unable to attend. I listen intently, hanging on every word, even if she is rambling a bit.

That was one of the things that made me fall in love with her in the first place: the way she rambled on when she was nervous. It had always amazed me how much she could actually talk when nervous. It was so endearing and something I miss greatly.

Anyone else would be offended by the rocks she brought with her, but not me. As she explains, I smile at what this means to her. I can almost see the struggle she would have had before coming here about whether they were proper or not. To me, they are worth more than gold.

"...and you know that a part of me was always here, even if I'm showing up a bit late."

If I'm being honest with myself, I was a little hurt when I didn't see her at the funeral alongside everyone else. Mostly it was because I wanted to see her just once more _so_ badly. But after listening to both Xander and Buffy explain profusely every time they came to visit, I began to understand. Of course, I could never be mad with her for too long.

"Tara, are you here?" she asks. That wipes the smile off my face as I slide off the stone to sit in front of her.

"Yes, I'm here," I answer in vain, knowing only too well that she can't hear me. "I'm here."

I watch, heartbroken, as she spills her fears and sorrows. There is nothing I want more than to pull her into my arms, but I know that I cannot. All I can do is sit in front of here, as close as I can with actually passing through her. She has her hand to her mouth, hiding a sob as she confesses her greatest crime.

I can't say that I'm surprised by this confession. I had my suspicions, but it hurts nonetheless. Never in a million years do I want to be the cause of so much pain, the cause of her fearing her beautiful magic.

I watch as she closes her eyes and I can't help the words that tumble from my lips. "You can never be bad, Willow. All of the good and light you bring into this world is far more important than the bad. I know that you are scared now, but you can't lose hope or faith. What is coming will be hard, but I believe in you-all of you. Your magic is stronger than any magic that I have ever seen and I _know_ that there will be nothing that can stop you. Your magic is good, _you_ are good.

"I love you, and I will never, ever stop loving you. Don't you forget that."

Even though I know that Willow cannot hear me, I hope beyond hope that she will at least be able to sense my presence, sense my words and know that they are true.

As she opens her beautiful eyes, the sun finally peeks through the clouds and I smile, knowing that she heard me.


End file.
